Method and system for subscription lottery play

ABSTRACT

A system and method can provide subscription services for a lottery operated by a state lottery includes. The method includes: receiving a subscription application from a lottery player, wherein the subscription application includes player information and information for a subscription order to purchase at least one lottery ticket for at least one game selection over a plurality of subscription drawings, unless sooner terminated; receiving instructions for lottery ticket numbers for the subscription order; storing on a subscription computer system subscription information including the information from the subscription application, the information for the subscription order and the instructions for lottery ticket numbers; and collecting funds for paying for one or more tickets to be purchased from the state lottery operator based on the subscription order. The collected funds can be in an amount less than the amount required to purchase all of the lottery tickets for the plurality of subscription drawings.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 60/591,384 filed on Jul. 26, 2004, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by thisreference.

COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION

Portions of this patent application include materials that are subjectto copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to thefacsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document itself, or ofthe patent application as it appears in the files of the United StatesPatent and Trademark Office, but otherwise reserves all copyright rightswhatsoever in such included copyrighted materials.

BACKGROUND

This invention pertains generally to systems and methods for sellinglottery tickets. More particularly, it relates to a method and systemfor selling tickets for state lotteries, collecting payments, payingwinnings and providing players with more options in order to betterattract, service and retain lottery players.

Many state and provincial lotteries at one time or another have tried toattract, service and retain lottery players by providing subscriptionplay and advanced play purchases at lottery terminals. Subscription playservices are typically closed-ended, meaning they involve signing upwith a state lottery to receive continuous lottery play for a fixedperiod of time. With these types of subscriptions, the ownership of thetickets are known by the state. In addition, since the subscriptioncontains all required ownership information, the tickets are monitoredby the state for winnings and any winnings are paid to the subscriber,so the subscriber does not have to concern themselves with losingtickets or missing out on winnings. Advanced play services involve thepurchase of a lottery ticket that spans many drawings. With thesetickets it is the obligation of the purchaser not to lose the ticket andto check their own winnings. Some have been moderately successful, butlotteries have suffered from several major drawbacks. First, in mostcases it has been costly to attract, service and retain subscriptionplayers, even after discounting the overall price. In most instancesthis discount has been minimal (e.g., about 4%), but subscription playhas not produced the overall sales gain for which the lotteries had beenhoping. Second, historical and current subscription and advanced playprograms restrict the flexibility of the lottery operator to makechanges to the lottery game for which subscriptions have been sold,restrict changes by the player, limit the method of paying for tickets,limit the options for how winnings are to be handled and limit aplayer's ownership options. In addition, state lotteries have neveroffered open-ended subscription play, i.e., state lotteries have notoffered a form of subscription wherein no fixed time period has beenestablished for the subscription, thereby allowing the player to placean order for a continuous purchase of tickets until cancelled by theplayer. In some instances, there may be a revalidation of the orderrequired in order to have the ticket purchases continue. This form ofsubscription also allows the player to make changes at will so that thetickets sold to the player by the lottery would reflect the player'smost recent preferences.

There is a need, therefore, for an improved method and system to enablelotteries to attract, service and retain lottery players by providinglottery players with more options plus greater convenience andflexibility while simultaneously providing the lottery operator with theflexibility to manage these expanded play features and to be able toeasily and quickly change lottery games for which subscriptions havebeen sold. It is an object and feature of the present invention toprovide such a system and method.

It is another object and feature of the present invention to providesuch a method and system that is more profitable for the lotteryoperator than previous subscription methods and systems.

It is yet another object and feature of the present invention to providesuch a method and system that includes features to assure security,control and integrity of the method and system.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description that follows, and in part will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectsand advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means ofthe methods and apparatus pointed out in the appended claims.

SUMMARY

To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes ofthe invention as embodied and broadly described in this document, thereis provided a method and system for providing subscription services fora lottery operated by a state lottery operator. The method includes thesteps of: receiving a subscription application from a lottery player,wherein the subscription application includes player information andinformation for a subscription order to purchase at least one lotteryticket for at least one game selection over a plurality of subscriptiondrawings, unless sooner terminated; receiving instructions for whichlottery ticket numbers to purchase for the subscription order; storingon a subscription computer system subscription information including theinformation from the subscription application, the information for thesubscription order and the instructions for which lottery ticket numbersto purchase; and collecting funds for paying for one or more tickets tobe purchased from the state lottery operator based on the subscriptionorder. The collected funds can be in an amount less than the amountrequired to purchase all of the lottery tickets for the plurality ofsubscription drawings. The subscription application can include a papertransmittal form and wherein the lottery player submits the papertransmittal form with one or more game play slips identifying one ormore lottery tickets to be purchased by the lottery player. Thesubscription order information can include one or more selected jackpotlevels for one or more games and the purchase of additional ticketsunder the subscription order for a given game of the one or more gamescan be conditioned upon reaching the selected game jackpot levels forthe given game. Funds can be collected by maintaining a reserve accountfor the lottery player and charging the reserve account to pay fortickets or by using an automated payment method, such as a credit ordebit charge or an ACH transfer. The lottery player can be placed intoone or more of the lottery pools defined in the subscription computersystem. The subscription application can be for an open-endedsubscription.

According to other aspects of the invention, the method can include thestep of using the stored subscription information to submit to the statelottery computer system information to purchase one or more lotterytickets for less than the plurality of the subscription drawingsincluded in the subscription order. The method can include charging thelottery player one or more fees for services associated with thesubscription application. The method also can include the step ofrequiring the lottery player to agree to procedures to be used in theevent that the lottery operator makes changes to the lottery game beforeall of the plurality of subscription drawings are completed. Moreover,the method can include the step of posting the lottery ticket numbersand highlighting each of the lottery ticket numbers that match thenumbers drawn by the state lottery operator whether or not the lotteryticket numbers are included in winning number combinations. The methodalso can include the step of only paying winnings to the lottery playerwhen the lottery player's unpaid winnings are at or above a predefinedlevel.

A system according to the invention includes a computer systemprogrammed to perform the method described above.

The method and system of the invention make it possible to track, actand revise a player's choices that have been put in play for up to ayear or more in advance when there are changes in the lottery game. Thisis done through specialized system controlled review of player accountsbased upon the lottery game in use at the time of initiation of play andforward comparison of intended plays against lottery changes. It alsoinvolves controls and customer service acting in a pro-active manner tocontact players and resolve the play issues promptly. The system alsoaccommodates game changes as they become identified and planned by theparticipating lottery operator. Most game changes are planned at leastten weeks in advance of the change. This time is more than adequate tocontact the game subscription players, allow them to make new choices innumbers (if needed), and be prepared for the first drawing of the newgame matrix or play concept. The lottery and the online vendor do notneed to worry about these subscription plays when considering any gamechange or addition. From the player's point of view, the subscriptionservice provider can handle all required action through playercommunication, personnel, software design and pre-defined automatedaction rules for invalid play sets when the Lottery has not heard backfrom the players prior to the first drawing of the new game or matrix.From the point of view of the lottery and online vendor no change isnecessary in their systems because under the current invention, thenumbers to be played on behalf of the player are not submitted to thelottery and online vendor until approximately one day prior to thedrawing.

Also, the method and system of the invention facilitate a robustcustomer club service program that actively works to entertain, supportand create fun activities for all subscription players. The club serviceprovides an internet account review, quarterly newsletter discussingnumerous subjects about the lottery, game services, play options,contests to enter for free, and promoting other game alternatives. Thetelephone service does not rely on any automated service menu requiringplayers to “touch one for a new service”, etc. When a player calls theyget a “real person” willing to respond to their questions on any issueregarding subscription club play, their accounts, or game options andother games offered by the Lottery. Mr. Amada has found, through nineyears of club service operations, that players like getting someone inperson on the phone rather than a recorded voice with a series of “menuoptions” that can be confusing and frustrating to navigate through. Theonly time an operator is not “on hand” is during non-office hours and onweekends.

In addition, the method and system of the invention also allow playersto change their subscription plays and will provide more opportunitiesfor players to win a jackpot when jackpots are higher with pre-definedadditional individual ticket purchases and additional tickets throughlottery pools. Signing up for subscriptions is also more convenient andaffordable for players since the method and system can accommodatemonthly payments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND APPENDIX

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate the presently preferredembodiments of the invention and, together with the general descriptiongiven above and the detailed description of the preferred methods andembodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is a functional diagram depicting a method for providingsubscription lottery play according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A shows an example of one side of a preferred subscriptionapplication form according to the invention.

FIG. 2B shows an example of a second side of the subscriptionapplication form of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a preferred subscriptioncomputer system and a network for practicing the present invention.

FIG. 4A shows an exemplary display of a game code screen for inputtinginformation about a lottery game for which a player can be subscribedusing the system of FIG. 3, with the display showing a tab selection forinputting general information about a selected game.

FIG. 4B shows an exemplary display of the game code screen of FIG. 4A,with the display showing a tab selection for entering information aboutawards paid by the selected lottery game.

FIG. 5A shows an exemplary display of a subscription settings screen forinputting default settings into the system for various fees andmiscellaneous time periods used by the system, with the display showinga tab selection for inputting general settings applicable tosubscriptions.

FIG. 5B shows an exemplary display of the subscription settings screenwith the display showing a tab selection for inputting subscription timeperiods, accompanying service charges, and discounts for automaticrenewal subscriptions to be stored in the system.

FIG. 5C shows an exemplary display of the subscription settings screenfor inputting jackpot levels to be stored in the system for triggeringadvanced play ticket sales.

FIG. 5D shows an exemplary display of the subscription settings screenfor inputting pool sizes to be stored in the system.

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary display of a transaction code screen forproviding audit capability and conformity within the system.

FIG. 7A shows an exemplary display of a players screen for enteringinformation about a player into the system and viewing storedinformation about the player, with the display showing a demographicstab selected for entering demographic information provided by a playerin his or her subscription application.

FIG. 7B shows an exemplary display of a screen for displaying paymenttype information for debit and credit card charges and ACH deductionsfrom checking accounts, when an operator selects the payment type tabshown in FIG. 7B. The same payment screen is available from screen 7A.

FIG. 8 shows an exemplary display of the players screen prompting theuser to select the type of subscription invoice being created after theoperator selects the new subscription button for creating in the systema subscription for the player displayed in FIG. 7A.

FIG. 9A shows an exemplary display of a subscription invoice screen forcreating the subscription invoice prompted in FIG. 8, showing sectionsfor inputting and viewing player choices (games, time periods, personalnumbers versus Quick Pick numbers, and the like), invoice informationand payment information and also showing the tab selections for enteringother information about the game plays that the subscribing player haschosen.

FIG. 9B shows the exemplary display of the subscription invoice screenand a display of a monthly payment schedule in response to theoperator's selection of the payments button on the subscription invoicescreen.

FIG. 10 shows an exemplary display of the subscription invoice screenshowing the tab selection for entering information about moneymanagement for the subscribing player, including reserve accountinformation.

FIG. 11 shows an exemplary display of the subscription invoice screenshowing the tab selection for entering information about individualadvance plays for the subscribing player.

FIG. 12 shows an exemplary display of the subscription invoice screenshowing the tab selection for entering information about advance playsfor the subscribing player that are pooled with advance plays of otherplayers.

FIG. 13 shows an exemplary display of the players screen showing thesubscription invoice of FIGS. 9-12 pending for the subscribing playerafter the subscription has been saved in the system and before it isprinted.

FIG. 14 shows the display of FIG. 13 with the display showing thepending subscription invoice selected and after the new subscriptionbutton has been selected, prompting the operator for input to replacethe invoice.

FIG. 15 shows an exemplary display of the players screen with thedisplay showing the account balances tab selection for displaying theselected player's financial transactions for their subscription account.

FIGS. 16A and 16B show an exemplary display of a pre-printedconfirmation certificate for confirming a player's subscriptionaccording to the invention.

FIG. 17 shows an exemplary input screen for maintaining a reserveaccount according to the present invention.

FIG. 18 shows an exemplary website posting of play results for a lotteryplayer according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION

In the following description, methods and embodiments of the inventionhas been shown and described simply by way of illustration of the bestmode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out the invention. As willbe realized, the invention is capable of modification in variousrespects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, thedrawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature,and not restrictive.

Referring to FIG. 1, a functional diagram of a method for providingsubscription lottery play according to the present invention is shown.According to a preferred method, a subscription service operator 10interacts with a player 12 seeking to participate in lottery play andwith a lottery operator 14. It will be understood that the player caninclude a person who is a prospective lottery player as well as a personwho has previously participated in lottery play. According to theexemplary method of FIG. 1, the lottery operator 14 can be a lotteryoperated by a governmental entity, such as a state lottery, or arepresentative of a state. One example of a lottery operator that is arepresentative of a state is the Georgia Lottery Corporation, which isreferred to as a quasi-state agency and which runs the lottery for thestate of Georgia. The lottery operator 14 also can include a third-partyprovider, such as an online provider that operates the on-line lotterygames for a state or other governmental entity. According to theexemplary method of FIG. 1, the subscription service operator 10operates a subscription computer system 16, which stores and processesinformation regarding subscription lottery games, registered lotteryplayers, player subscriptions and player payments, as described below.The player 12 can communicate with the subscription service operator 10by mail, by a lottery terminal 11 or a user computer 24 coupled to thesubscription computer system 16 via a computer network such as theInternet 30, or by telephone or other suitable communications means.

According to one novel aspect of the invention, the lottery player 12can register for the subscription service using a subscriptionapplication form 100 along with standard “game play slips” 110 toindicate the games and numbers to which the person wishes to subscribe.FIGS. 2A and 2 B show an example of a preferred subscription applicationform 100, which also serves as a transmittal form for the player's gamechoices. Previously, no state lottery has used a transmittal form toaccompany the existing play slips. The application form 100 includessections for providing player information, payment option information,and subscription information. The subscription information includes gameselection, a subscription time period, a number of drawings, and anumber of tickets desired for each drawing night. The subscriptionapplication form 100 may include additional information, such as aone-time setup fee that can be included in the total payment. The player12 can also elect to choose monthly payments, in which case he or shewould include the necessary financial information about their checkingaccount, or bankcard if that form of payment is allowed. Following theinstructions on the form, the player enters the total cost of theselected games and an applicable service fee and sends the completedapplication form to the lottery operator 14 along with the player'scompleted game play slips 110 for the player's selected numbers or quickpicks. The form is easy to understand and complete. The player utilizesexisting game play slips 110 for choosing their subscription numbers andquick picks.

According to another aspect of the invention, a player 12 can optionallyregister for subscription play online, such as via the Internet 30,using a credit card, debit card or direct charge to the person'schecking account via the ACH system. In this way, the system can be usedto sell subscription services online by accepting a player's applicationsubmission, numbers to be played and payment information online, whichcan be used to automatically populate the database 102 described below.Until the present invention there has not been any method or system inplace by which sellers of state lottery tickets (only state governmentscan legally sell such lottery tickets) have been able to use theInternet to sell tickets in the manner of the present invention.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the player 12 can mail or submit his or hersubscription application form 100, lottery game play slips 110 andpayment (or payment information) directly to the subscription servicesoperator (step 18). Alternatively, the player 12 can mail or submitthese items to the lottery operator 14 (step 18). If the applicationform 100, play slips 110 and/or payment are mailed or submitted to thelottery operator 14, the subscription service operator 110 can collectthe information from the lottery operator 14 (step 20).

When the subscription service operator 10 receives the subscriberregistration information, the operator enters this information into thesubscription computer system 16 (step 22). The information from theregistration form 100 and numbers on the game play slips 110 can beentered manually or scanned. The subscription computer system 16 thenvalidates the information. It confirms the integrity of subscribernumbers and start date requests and confirms that all numbers enteredthe database meet the criteria of the game design as part of the entryprocess. The system also sets the start date depending on: (a) thesystem's pre-defined start date for subscriptions entered on that day;(b) any special start date requests by the subscriber; (c) and any builtin delay days that are a function of the method of payment—for example,additional days may added to the pre-defined start date if payment isbeing made by check to allow sufficient time for monies to be collected;and (d) whether the order is placed by mail or Internet will also affectthe start date.

Use of the subscription application form 100 according to the inventionprovides a number of benefits. It allows the player 12 to play manydifferent lottery games without requiring the cumbersome formspreviously used by lottery operators. Previously, state lotteryoperators that have offered subscriptions using paper forms have used aseparate form for players to submit their numbers. They have never usedthe states “game play slips” to submit their numbers for subscriptionplays. The paper forms used by all current and previous state lotteryoperators only allow subscriptions for one or two of their lottery gamesdue to the amount of paper that is required to offer more than onelottery game. Other benefits are that the lottery operator's thencurrent “game play slips” (1) are familiar to the player; (2) arealready in place; (3) do not require any new forms or additional forms;(4) do not require special inventories or deliveries to the retailoutlets; and (5) can be easily scanned by the same scanning devices thatare built into the lottery terminals 11, such as those currently locatedat retail outlets, to allow for more accurate entry into thesubscription computer system 16 to record the player's preferences. Inaddition, because the numbers to be played are submitted on a separateform (play slips 110), the application form 100 is small enough that itcan be made part of a standard brochure that preferably can be madeavailable at lottery sales outlets or counters. For example, theapplication form 100 can fit onto just one of the panels in a 9″×3⅞″brochure having 3 or 4 panels. Including the application form 100 aspart of such a brochure also can enhance the marketing of thesubscription service.

FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred computer network system for practicingthe present invention. The system includes a computer system 16. Thecomputer system 16 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 108 forprocessing data and program instructions. The computer system 16 alsoincludes input and output devices, as is well known in the art. Forexample, the computer 16 preferably includes a display screen or monitor114, a keyboard 116, a mouse 118, a printer (not shown), etc. Thecomputer system 16 further includes data storage and memory devices, asare known in the art, for storing the database 102, an applicationprogram 106 and a Web browser 112. The database 102 is used to storesubscription and lottery data. The database 102 is a relationaldatabase, as are well known in the art. The computer system 16 isconnected to a network 30, which serves as a communications medium withlottery terminal 11 and user computers 24, 110, 111 and nnn (where nnnrefers to any number of users). In a preferred embodiment of theinvention, the network 30 comprises the Internet. The Internet is aglobal network of computers. One popular part of the Internet is theWorld Wide Web, or the “Web.” The World Wide Web contains computers thatdisplay graphical and textual information. Computers that provideinformation on the World Wide Web are typically called “web sites.” Awebsite is defined by an Internet address that has an associatedelectronic page, often called a “home page.” Generally, a home page isan electronic document that organizes the presentation of text,graphical images, audio and video into a desired display. Upon readingthis specification, those skilled in the art will now understand that,under appropriate circumstances, considering issues such as developmentsin computer hardware, software and connectivity, etc., other networkconfigurations and devices also may suffice, such as for example, PDAsconnected via a wireless network, etc.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the computer system 16 is configuredaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention to include a webserver for hosting a website, which includes a homepage and a module forplayer registration and login. The website can be hosted by thesubscription service provider 10, or it may be hosted by another partyexternal to the subscription service provider 10. Upon reading thisspecification, those skilled in the art will understand that, underappropriate circumstances, considering issues such as user preference,services offered by a website manager, market demand, subject area,etc., other functional modules may be included. The application programis operable with the database to provide the functionality describedbelow.

Appendix A summarizes preferred security and control features of asubscription system according to the invention. These features helpensure the security, control and integrity of the subscription computersystem 16. The subscribing player 12 can be set up as either an Internetor non-Internet subscriber. If the player is a non-Internet subscriber,then all requests must be submitted in writing on forms provided by thelottery operator and no change in plays can take place in less thanseven days, or some other time period from when the request is receivedto allow time for a new confirmation certificate (described below) to bereceived by the subscriber. If the subscriber is an Internet subscriberthen all requests must be made through the internet and no change inplays can take place in less than three days or some other time periodfrom when the request is received to allow time for the back-up systemto capture all changes and to send the new requests to the lottery'son-line vendor for processing. Subscribers may call the lottery'ssubscription department to ask questions, but preferably all requestsmust be submitted as previously described. Subscribers can be allowed toswitch from Internet to non-Internet, or vice-versa by requesting thechange. In some cases, there may be a hybrid of Internet andNon-Internet service. For example, some states may not allow orders tobe taken over the Internet, but they may allow a player to sign up andprovide demographic information over the Internet, then have the playerprint out forms for ordering tickets and returning those forms by mailalong with payment information. In addition, the electronic file to besent to the lottery's on-line vendor for any drawing will be created andprovided to the lottery most likely the day previous to the drawing.Building in a one day time period allows for situations when electronictransmission may not be available and overnight or other physicaldelivery may be necessary. A cut off time period for player changes alsois preferably set to be two days (or some other suitable time period)before the actual drawing date to allow sufficient time for back-upsprior to the creation of the file to be sent to the lottery's on-linevendor. Additional features include the classification of everysubscription invoice into types and statuses and the controls thataccompany such classifications, per Appendix A.

All subscribing players 12, whether they subscribe online via theInternet 30 or otherwise, can view their results on the web, asdescribed below. The main difference between the Internet andnon-Internet subscribers is that only the Internet subscribers cansubmit their plays and make changes on the Internet. Non-Internetsubscribers can only view their information and results on-line. Inaddition, Internet subscribers preferably will receive mostcorrespondence via the Internet, whereas non-Internet subscribers willreceive their correspondence through a mail service such as the U.S.Postal Service. Once registered in the subscription computer system 16,the player 12 also has the option of viewing his or her playsubscription and numbers from the secured web site of the subscriptioncomputer system 16, which can be operated by the subscription serviceoperator 10 or third party web hosting company.

According another novel aspect of the invention, the lottery operator 14preferably charges a small fee to the player 12 for subscription play.Using a small fee is a better marketing technique because it createsperceived value in the minds of the subscribers and provides funding tohelp perpetuate the subscription service through services andcommunication. Previously, no state lottery has implemented a method orsystem that charges a fee for a subscription service. On the contrary,state lotteries have given discounts to attract subscription players.

According to still another novel aspect, the method and system of theinvention enable players to pay electronically each month, makingplaying the lottery more convenient and affordable. Before the presentinvention, the state lotteries have always collected, and they continueto collect, 100% of all amounts due from the player up front. Accordingto the present invention, however, the US banking system's ACH(Automated Clearing House) and credit and debit cards can be used withstate lottery plays to allow subscribers to have monthly or otherperiodic charges to their bank card or withdrawals from their bankaccount. Players can also submit full payment with their orders by checkor money order. To the inventor's knowledge, no state, current orpreviously, allows periodic charges to pay for numbers that have beenassigned to the person for longer periods of time than the periodinterval (e.g., paying monthly for a six month subscription). Thus, withthe present invention a player can sign up for one year and receive aconfirmation certificate of his or her numbers for the year, but onlypay a partial amount each month.

According to another aspect of the invention, subscribers can indicatein advance within the system how many extra tickets they would like topurchase each drawing night based on jackpot levels. This advanced playservice is an automated system feature that sells additional tickets toa subscriber upon the occurrence of a defined condition, such as thejackpot for a particular game reaching $50,000,000. The advance playscan be paid for by charges to a debit or credit card as needed, but apreferred system as reflected in FIG. 10, is to create a reserve accountfrom which the charges are paid. The system maintains three accounts foreach person. The subscription account maintains the monies to be used topay for the basic subscription plays (everything but advance plays). Thereserve account holds the money to be used for advance plays and can beused to support the main subscription account if that account is short,and the system holds the winnings in a separate winnings account. Thesubscription account and reserve account can be one account, but thereare accounting advantages to keeping monies to pay for fixed periodcommitments (subscription) separate from conditional advanced plays. Thereserve account, which maintains a balance, can be replenishedautomatically or manually. For automated replenishment, the inventionallows players to predefine at what point they want additional fundsdeposited to their reserve account. For example, the player may say whenthe reserve account drops below $15, deposit $20 into that account viatheir automated payment method (Credit Card, Debit Card, ACH, or similarsource). The player can also allow the money to run out, at which time apredefined amount can be added. That amount can be set by the player orby the lottery operator. For manual replenishment, the player can sendin a payment to the lottery or can add to the account themselves, forexample, via the Internet.

The reserve account is also an advantageous feature for open-endedsubscription play. An open-ended subscription play does not require thesubscriber to commit to a fixed time period like that is required underthe historical and current subscription programs where a persontypically signs up for 3, 6 or 12 months. The open-ended program allowsthe player to place an order for a continuous purchase of tickets untilcancelled by the player. In some instances, there may be a revalidationof the order required in order to have the ticket purchases continue.This form of subscription also allows the player to make changes at willso that the tickets sold to the player by the lottery would reflect theplayer's most recent preferences. A player wishing to participate inopen-ended subscription play can do so without missing any drawings andwithout having to be continually bothered to buy tickets. Thus, theplayer may want the lottery operator to sell him or her lottery ticketscontinually every drawing until further notice and to take the funds outof the reserve account to pay for those tickets. The player can sign upfor open-ended lottery play on the web or by mail. The system caninclude a reserve account to hold the money. The reserve account can bedrawn down each drawing night as the tickets are sold to the player.This method of open-ended subscription play saves the player and lotteryoperator from having to continually charge a payment source, such as acredit card, for small purchases. By having a minimum in the reserveaccount, it also ensures that the funds are already collected andavailable for use. By maintaining a minimum level and automatic amountto be replenished there also will be time for a player to be contactedif more funds cannot be obtained before the reserve runs out. This isparticularly important if the payment source to replenish the reserve isby ACH, which can take up to a week before verification of funds can bemade.

According to another novel aspect of the invention, subscribers can joinone or more lottery pools each drawing night based on jackpot levels,and pay for the participation just like they might do with advance playsfor individual tickets described previously. In some cases, subscriberswill want to be in a lottery pool all the time and increase theirparticipation in more pools as the jackpot rises. Previously, no statelottery has created lottery pools and placed players into those pools asa standalone service or as part of its subscription service. Purchasingservices that act as agents for players have offered pooling, but“purchases on behalf of others” is a legally distinct and separatebusiness from the “selling” of lottery tickets. Only state governmentscan legally sell or authorize the sale of lottery tickets and no stategovernment has ever created lottery pools and sold interests in thosepools. Not only does the pooling feature according to the inventionoffer more benefits to the players by giving each person more chances towin, but as an added benefit, it helps the lottery operator to enticepeople to take part in the lottery operator's subscription service. Itcan be used as a reward for the player's loyalty.

Referring again to FIG. 1, after the subscription computer system 16validates the submitted information and payment for the subscription hasbeen collected, it generates a confirmation certificate 25 (step 23)indicating the numbers selected, payment arrangements, the first drawingfor which the player is entered, the last drawing for which the playeris eligible to participate, contact information for the player, andcontact information for the subscription service operator 10. Thesubscription service operator 10 then sends the confirmation certificate25 to the subscribing player 12 (step 40). According to a preferredmethod, one day after receipt of the full payment or initial payment, inthe case of periodic or monthly payers, the confirmation certificate ismailed to the subscribing player, indicating (a) that the play has beenentered into the subscription system; (b) the draw dates; (c) thenumbers for each draw date; (d) the lottery games requested, (e)schedule of ACH, debit card, or credit card withdrawal dates and amountsif they selected periodic charges, (f) disclaimer explaining whathappens if game design is changed during their plays; (g) contactinformation; and other notes, and (h) other rules. In the case wherepayment is made by Internet via a bank card, or via a reserve accountwhere instant credit can be given, the confirmation certificate can bedelivered via the Internet almost instantaneously. FIGS. 16A and 16Bshow a form for an exemplary confirmation certificate.

As shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, a game design disclaimer is implementedto protect the states and multi-state games from having to wait untilafter the last draw date of existing sold tickets or subscriptionsbefore having games changes take place. Powerball, for example, had arule until just recently that does not allow states to sell subscriptionservices because the subscription services, which are for 3 months to 1year, inhibit timely changes in the game by Powerball. Each state is nowleft up to how to handle changes. With the present invention, that isnot a problem. The tickets are not only submitted and purchased just onedrawing at a time, but the subscriber's confirmation certificate, whichshows all numbers that will be played over the subscription time period,includes a disclaimer substantially as follows:

-   -   IMPORTANT NOTICE—The following numbers will be sold to you        subject to the terms and conditions controlling all subscription        plays and on the draw dates and for the games shown as long as        there are no changes in the game design. If there are any        changes in the game, you will be notified by mail and/or email        so that you can make changes in your play. If, by the drawing        date, when the changes are to take place, we have not received a        written reply from you regarding the changes, we will take the        following steps: If the game has been changed so that one or        more of your numbers are no longer available in the new game        matrix, then we will assign new numbers to replace those numbers        that are no longer valid. If the quantity of numbers has been        increased or decreased requiring an increase or decrease in your        number set, then the appropriate increases or decreases will be        made to your number sets. If your numbers are still valid in the        new game matrix, then we will continue to play the numbers you        have given us. Any of these changes will remain in effect until        we receive written notice from you selecting different numbers.        With subscription tickets only being included in the online        gaming system one day in advance of the drawing, there is no        system liability for future subscription tickets. In addition,        the disclaimer will allow the games to be changed at anytime.        This feature of the present invention therefore opens up the        opportunity for the states to offer subscription plays.

The system can incorporate a cut off time for new subscriptions, changesto a subscription, or funds collections for entry into a drawing basedon a pre-defined period agreed to between the lottery operator 14 andthe subscription services operator 10. Thus, for example, if a game hasa scheduled drawing on Wednesday at 9 PM, the cut off time for newsubscription play, changes or funds collections might be 12 noon onMonday, two days prior. This cut off time would not affect advance playtickets, however, which have been pre-arranged prior to the cut offtime, but whose trigger point may be after the cut off time. Forexample, the jackpot results for a Monday nights drawing, which arerequired to determine whether or not advance play tickets should be soldto players for the Wednesday's drawing, will not be known until afterthis cut off time in this example.

Referring again to FIG. 1, after a player's subscription is entered intothe system and is ready for the first drawing, the ticket sale iscommunicated to the lottery operator 14 (step 40). On the night prior tothe drawing day (or other agreed time), the subscription servicesoperator 10 provides an electronic file to the lottery on-lineprocessing system (the system maintained by the state vendor) and to thelottery back office internal control system (the state's internalsystem), which together comprise lottery operator 10 (step 44). Theelectronic file includes a plurality of records. Each record in theelectronic file can include an identification of the game to be played,the type of play, the numbers selected, a subscription unique controlnumber, a lottery control number and the play amount. The electronicfile can be provided, for example, via tape, other electronic storagemedium, or electronic transmission using a high-speed network connectionto both systems. When the electronic file is sent to the lotteryoperator, the sale of the tickets represented by the records in theelectronic file is recognized. The subscription computer system 16 isset up to allow security and verification processes through hash totalsand cross checking of all wagers to insure they are recorded properly.This file transfer allows the lottery on-line processing system and thelottery back office internal control system to maintain completeaccountability for all game draw sales, winner determination, and gameliability for all drawings.

Upon identification and verification by the lottery operator of thenumbers drawn for each game, the subscription service operator can enterthose validated numbers into the subscription system, which informationcan be used to determine winning tickets and players. This process ofverification of drawn numbers is done by the state and is the sameprocess the state lottery operators currently perform, however, beforemaking any announcement to the public regarding winners, the lotteryoperator 14 would first provide the drawn numbers to the subscriptionservice operator 10 so that certain reconciliations can be made. Thisaction triggers a search for all winning tickets on the subscriptioncomputer system 16. The system can then print a recap totals reportindicating the number of winning tickets in each category and the prizeamounts in total for all tickets.

The lottery back office internal control system of the lottery operator14 can perform its winner determination process and provide winninginformation reports to the subscription services operator 10 for eachlottery game drawing for the tickets that were to be purchased accordingto the electronic file that was provided by the subscription servicesoperator 10. This is a separate process to measure the lotteryoperator's liability to the subscribing players and is done by the statelottery back office internal control system.

The on-line lottery system vendor can also complete a winnerdetermination and provide similar or the same winning informationreports to the subscription service operator. The information would bevalidated against the system information to make sure that all partiesidentify and agree with the same winning tickets

The subscription service operator 10 can reconcile results with thelottery operator 14, including both the state lottery back officeinternal control system and the lottery on-line processing system. Thesubscription service operator can visually as well as electronicallybalance the winning tickets and amounts to the numbers provided by thelottery and lottery's on-line vendor. Any discrepancies would have to bereconciled as soon as possible so that the lottery could proceed withthe release of winning information and amounts to the public.

The subscription service operator credits each player's accounts foramounts. For all winning tickets, each person's account balance would beupdated. Automated deductions, provided by the lottery, will be made fortaxes, government obligations, child support, etc. pending finalverification and approval by the lottery.

According to another novel feature of the present invention, thesubscription service operator can post to its website the results foreach person. FIG. 18 shows an exemplary posting of such results. Thisposting to the web an individual's results and highlighting matchingnumbers (whether the tickets are winners or not) for viewing by eachsubscriber has not previously been done by any state lotteries.Purchasing services may have posted results of an individuals play onthe Internet, but purchasing services are not sellers of tickets. Usingthe Internet, as described herein, to help the state sell lotterytickets is entirely new to state lotteries.

State lottery and on-line vendor can reconcile and balance the gameliability files on each of their systems. The subscription systemoperator would send an electronic file back to the State lottery backoffice system and the online gaming vendor with a record of all winningsamounts credited to player's account. This process can allow the statelottery and the online vendor system to reconcile and balance the gameliability files on each system and to mark those tickets as PAID.

According to yet another novel aspect of the invention, the subscriptionservice operator can oversee total or partial winnings distributions pera player's requests. Based on IRS guidelines, actual payments to theplayer over $600 preferably will be paid by the state and amounts of$600 and less will be paid by the subscription service operator.Subscribing players will also have the option of having the subscriptionservice operator hold all winnings and only disburse checks based on aspecific threshold levels so they don't receive small “nuisance” checks.This service of holding money for players has never been offered by anystate. All previous and current state lotteries that do offersubscriptions send checks to winners no matter how small the check orthey give them extended plays for the small winnings. This feature ofthe invention also can include a transfer option where the subscriberscan have their winnings transferred to their reserve account to be usedfor purchasing additional tickets. The system also includes payingplayers by electronic payments to the players banking account ratherthan by mail. For winnings over $600, the lottery operator can processthe list of winners and mail checks to each winner as directed throughtheir normal payment process.

The system can cash reconcile and process an electronic funds transferweekly to the state lottery back office system for the amount of moneyowed to the State for ticket sales, less any agreed upon fees less anycommission due on all tickets sold, less any amounts of winningscredited to player accounts that would be held by the subscriptionservice operator on behalf of the Subscribers. In addition, each weekthe system can provide a report both via paper and electronic versions,of all sales for that previous week for each game, the prize payoutsfrom all drawings, the amounts due to the subscription service operator,the balance of subscription plays for all upcoming drawings, total playfor each drawing, and other pertinent reconciling information.

The lottery operator can process the EFT in the same manner as it doesfor all retail locations.

Each week the system can purge from their files, after a six-monthperiod, or other specified time period, all ticket records includingpayments made to winning tickets. This purge process can produce awritten and electronic report of all records purged to provide an auditcontrol document.

With the present invention, the marketing and advertising of thesubscription service can be provided by the participating lottery at avery low cost and the role of the subscription system operator would bethat of a backroom service provider. The advertising can be as simple asadding a “tag line” on all current advertising for the games, placementof subscription play brochure/application forms at all retail locationsalong side all other lottery game brochures, lottery web siteadvertising, advertising on tickets that are printed out or similarpaper that is printed along with each ticket, and public relations. Thesubscription service operator will be doing on-going promotions throughthe Newsletter and other communications to players, but the primaryresponsibility for subscription play advertising would remain with thelottery operator. The subscription service operator has experience inthis advertising arena and would be willing to share its knowledge withthe lottery operator and their marketing agency.

Operation of the system will now be described in more detail withreference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 1 and the interface depicted inFIGS. 4-15. FIGS. 4A-4B show exemplary displays of a game code screen200 for inputting information for setting up a lottery game for which aplayer can be subscribed using the system of the present invention. Thescreen includes tab selections 202-210 for inputting and viewing generalinformation about a selected lottery game, game numbers, awards paid bythe selected lottery game, game holidays and additional game details.Referring to FIG. 4A, the game information tab 202 is displayed.Selecting the game numbers tab 204 will display the number and range ofgame numbers that the specific lottery will accept. FIG. 4B shows thegame awards tab 206 displayed. Information under this tab defines in thesystem the awards for given combinations of game numbers. A button 212is provided for creating a pop-up message that the system can present toa player over the web when they have a winning ticket that is just onenumber away from a much larger prize, thus creating significantly moreexcitement than just listing the amount won. Other tab selections 208,210 define additional parameters of the game in the system.

FIGS. 5A-5D show exemplary displays of a subscription settings screen214 and illustrate the process of inputting information for setting updefault settings for subscriptions. FIG. 5A shows an exemplary displayof a General Settings tab 216 for inputting general settings applicableto all subscriptions. FIG. 5B shows an exemplary display of thesubscription Selections tab 218 displaying the specific subscriptiontime periods and associated specific fee charges. FIG. 5C shows anexemplary display of the Jackpot Amounts tab 220 for defining jackpotlevels to be stored in the system. FIG. 5D shows an exemplary display ofthe Pool Sizes tab 222 for inputting pool sizes to be stored in thesystem. Pool sizes can be ranges of sizes or specific sizes.

FIG. 6 shows a display of a Transaction Code screen 224 for providingaudit capability and conformity of charges to the player, which isutilized by the system of FIG. 3 for different services. Everytransaction that affects a player's account balance is tagged with aclassification according to what is referred to as a Transaction Code226. These codes facilitate proper charges, since many charges arepre-defined based on specific activities and they facilitate reportingand audit capability.

As shown in FIG. 1, subscription data for each potential player 12 canbe obtained one of three ways, or a combination thereof: by manuallyentering the data from a subscriber's application, by scanning theplayer's application at the lottery terminal or scanning the applicationafter it has been received by the subscription service operator 10, orby having the player use the invention's online (web-based) registrationsystem. When a lottery player utilizes the online subscription system,the player accesses the online system via the Internet by using one ofthe user's computers.

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate the process of inputting player information intothe system and creating a new subscription for that player. FIG. 7Ashows a Players screen 226 for entering information about a player intothe system and viewing stored information about the player, showing ademographics tab selected 228 for entering demographic informationprovided by a player in his or her application. FIG. 7B shows asubscription invoice screen 232 for displaying payment type informationwhen an operator selects the payment type tab 230 shown in FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 shows a display of an invoice screen 234 prompting the user forinformation and a Subscription Type after the operator selects the newsubscription button 231 for creating in the system a subscription forthe player displayed in FIG. 7. FIG. 9A shows a display of asubscription invoice screen 236 for creating the subscription invoiceprompted in FIG. 8, showing sections for inputting and viewing invoiceinformation 238 and payment information 240 and also showing the Playstab 242 for entering information about the game plays that thesubscribing player has chosen. FIG. 9B shows the display of thesubscription invoice screen and a display of a monthly payment schedule244 in response to the operator's selection of the payments button 246on the subscription invoice screen 236. FIG. 10 shows an exemplarydisplay of the subscription invoice screen 236 showing the MoneyManagement tab 248 for entering information about money managementpreferences for the subscribing player, including reserve accountinformation 250.

FIG. 11 shows a display of the subscription invoice screen 236 showingthe AP Individual tab 252 for entering information about individualticket advance plays for the subscribing player. FIG. 12 shows a displayof the subscription invoice screen 236 showing the AP Pooling tab 254for entering information about advance plays for the subscribing playerthat are pooled with advance plays of other players. While the exampleof FIG. 12 shows pool sizes 256 defined in ranges, it will be understoodthat specific pools sizes can also be set up. The advantage of usingpool ranges is that once there are a sufficient number of players tomake up the lowest number, there will never be any unfilled pools, whichis a problem that occurs with specific pools sizes.

FIG. 13 shows an exemplary display of the Players screen 226 showing thesubscription invoice of FIGS. 9-12 pending for the subscribing playerafter the subscription has been saved in the system and before it isprinted. FIG. 14 shows the display of FIG. 13 with the pendingsubscription invoice selected and after the new subscription button hasbeen selected, prompting the operator for input to replace the invoice.

FIG. 15 shows an exemplary display of the Players screen 226 showing theaccount balances tab 258 for displaying financial transactions historyfor the selected player's subscription account.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides anumber of advantages over the previously known art. For participatinglotteries, there are a number of benefits. The invention will increasesales for all games with minimal to no cost to the lottery operator. Thesubscription service attracts former players, homebound players, busypeople, intermittent players, and new players. It also provides aservice to existing players who go on vacation, but don't want to missplaying for any drawing of the game, who want to spend more money to addpools to their lottery play, or who want to have tickets automaticallysold to them through an automatic payment arrangement. The subscriptionservice can be made available to all online games, not just jackpotgames. (Some exceptions might be games that are played every fiveminutes and Video Lottery games.) Players like the flexibility andcontrol that the method and system of the invention can provide to themin selecting and maintaining their play choices. Another advantage ofthe method and system is that it keeps players “in the game” regardlessof the jackpot size. This increases the play level for the lotteryoperator when the base jackpot is in play following a major Jackpot win.Thus, it helps to grow the next jackpot for future draws faster for moreplay. Further, the method and system of the invention provide an anchorfor the lottery operator in getting players attached to the ongoinglottery play. They provide the lottery operator with the ability tomonitor play levels for those players signed up for the service. This iscritical in assuring no inappropriate play issues arise. The method andsystem of the invention can even be used to limit the amount playersplace on their credit card per use or per time period. Moreover, themethod and system of the invention can provide the lottery operator witha robust player research base to conduct game research, look for “nitch”products, and get solid player feedback on likes and dislikes on allgames. This is critical in maintaining enjoyable and entertaining gamingoptions for all players, not just the subscription players.

The invention also provides benefits to lottery players, which in turntranslates to more sales for the lottery. The players get much more thanjust a subscription for the upcoming game drawings. While the obviousbenefits include no more standing in line for tickets, no more lastminute dashes to the store, and no more missed drawings or unclaimedwinners, they get much more. The method and system of the inventionallow players to sign up for automatic additional plays for bothindividual and pooling tickets during large jackpot runs. They canparticipate in pools of any size, e.g. 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 250, 500 andeven 1000 tickets for only a dollar. The subscription services operatorforms these pools and all tickets are sold to the players with fullaccounting and reconciliation on their accounts. The players can alsopurchase their subscription with monthly payments making their lotteryplaying more convenient and affordable. They can view their pool playsonline if they desire. Not only do they receive a confirmationcertificate for their subscription play, they also get a winningstatement at the end of their play, they get quarterly statements onactions with their accounts, a complete reconciliation of their accountbalances and transactions, and renewal notices before their play runsout. Players also get the feeling of a club relationship through a clubnewsletter, jackpot alert notices, and special offers made availablethrough the club. These special offers include free ticket give-a-ways,free dinners, and much more. Thus, the invention allows helps create afun experience for the players and keeps up their interest in thelottery. This activity creates excitement and entertainment for theplayers and allows the lottery operator to communicate a winning messageto all players.

The subscription services operator also can send out a personalized giftmessage to all players who receive a gift subscription from anyone. Themethod and system of the invention allow players to accumulate smallwinnings in their accounts, yet produce a winning check only when theprize is significant according to the player's wishes. Moreover, themethod and system of the invention allow players to access theiraccounts and play numbers over the Internet. This allows players totrack their play and winnings after each drawing and see when theirsubscription play will end, etc. They can also sign up for more playsonline, if they desire.

Players will benefit from the service and fun activities provided by themethod and system of the invention. If a player is ever dissatisfiedwith the service for any reason a full refund can be provided for all“remaining play” activity, no questions asked. It's their money and theyhave control over how it is to be spent.

The cost to the lottery operator is less than what the lottery operatorpays as commission to the normal retailer selling any of their on-linegame tickets. The lottery operator must also agree to provide someamount of subscription play promotion and advertising over the course ofa year, but this is minimal, especially considering the increased salesachieved with the method and system of the invention. Initial estimatesof play level increase are in the range of 10 to 20 percent from thecurrent base, when jackpots are at their lowest level. Placement ofbrochure/subscription order forms at all retail locations should behandled by the lottery operator.

The cost to the player for this robust service is minimal. Fornon-internet users the cost is anticipated to be about $2 a month andvaries from $1.75 per month one year subscriptions, $2 a month for sixmonth subscriptions and $2.50 per month for three month subscriptions.For Internet users, the cost is anticipated to be $1 per monthregardless of the time period, but may vary slightly to encourage longerplays.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificdetails, representative devices, and illustrative examples shown anddescribed. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerouschanges and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments ofthe invention and that such changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention. Software Securityand Control Features Charges to Appear Change in Certificate on NewGames/Numbers/Time Type Purpose/Comment Subscription Period New New -not dependent on a prior Service Fee + Certificate. Set-Up fee if firsttime subscribing. Renewal Starts when old Certificate expires ServiceFee All changes allowed. Sub Subscription Replacement - Refers ServiceFee + All changes allowed. Replacement to the replacement of anyCertificate Subscription that has been provided to the Replacement Fee.recipient, which includes any changes in the games, numbers, or dateranges of the main play. The System will change the Active Status of theCertificate being replaced to Replaced. Advance Advance Replacement -Refers to the There are no charges Only changes in Advance Replacementreplacement of any Certificate that the first time. Plays are allowed.has been provided to the recipient, The Advance which only includeschanges to the Replacement Fee is Advance Plays. only charged if the TheSystem will change the Active person already had Status of theCertificate being advance plays and are replaced to Replaced. now addingor making changes. Inactive Inactive Replacement - Refers to the ServiceFee + The time period will be Replacement replacement of any Certificatethat Inactive Replacement extended to make up for had a status ofInactive. Fee. missed drawings. No The System will change the Inactiveother changes are Status of the Certificate being allowed. replaced toReplaced. Deposit Records Deposit details. Deposit Only Automatic Chargefor Status Change to Certificate appear on Account Status StatusPurpose/Comment Summary Assignment Pending Refers to any Certificatewhich has $ -0- Assigned by system not yet been printed. The only changethat can be made to a Pending Certificate without causing a newcertificate to be created are changes in the number sets of the mainplay or any changes to the advanced plays. Pending Once a PendingCertificate has been $ -0- Locked printed its status changes fromPending to Pending Locked and no changes may be made. Active ACertificate become Active when the $ -0- Assigned by system. file isfirst sent to the lottery for ticket purchases for that particularCertificate. There can be more than one Active Certificate. InactiveWhen funds cannot be collected. This Inactive Pending Fee - ManualAssignment Pending status is assigned when funds are first Equals sameamount as is required for denied by the bank. Denied funds canCancellation fee since checks. come from either ACH or Bank Cards. wehave to set that Automated entries The Certificate is not yet Inactiveamount aside should the will be made for because funds have beencollected in payment never be Credit Card or advance and funds maybecome collected. Debit Card denials. available prior to running out.This fee reduces the Inactive Credit amount left for tickets.Adjustments are If the funds become manual entries. available prior torunning out, then an Inactive Credit Adjustment will be made. InactiveFunds not available by State cut off Inactive Fee Assigned by system.date forcing a drawing to be missed. The certificate is classified asInactive and can not be reactivated. It can only be replaced. CancelledActive Certificate was cancelled. Cancellation Fee. The ManualAssignment amount should be set to zero if the person has already beencharged an Inactive Pending Fee. Expired Active Certificate expirednormally. $ -0- Assigned by system Changed Changes to a PendingCertificate are No Charge Assigned by system classified as “Changes”rather than “Replacements,” since they are internal only. Only Pendingcan have “Changes.” Replacement Replacement is a status that is assignedSub. Replacement Fee Assigned by system to any Certificate that wasprovided Adv. Replacement Fee to the customer upon creating a ifchanging. new Certificate. Inact. Replacement Fee Hold With a status of“Hold” all activity No Charge Manual Assignment will cease untilreleased. Deposit Deposit Deposit Status Purpose/Comment Charges ProcessPending All Initial Payments and Automated Charges are Automatic bysystem. other Deposits start out as set by the system. In Pending unlessthe source is those cases where the Cash. status is manually set orchanged, charges, if any, will be entered manually. Collected Once theDefault Delay Same as Pending. Automatic by system Period has expired onfunds when Default Delay collection Period has expired. It must bechanged manually if the previous status is Denied. Denied If collectionis Denied. Same as Pending. Manual Entry

1. A method for providing subscription services for a lottery operatedby a state lottery operator using a computer system, the methodcomprising: receiving a subscription application from a lottery player,wherein the subscription application includes player information andinformation for a subscription order to purchase at least one lotteryticket for at least one game selection over a plurality of subscriptiondrawings, unless sooner terminated; receiving instructions for lotteryticket numbers for the subscription order; storing on a subscriptioncomputer system subscription information including the information fromthe subscription application, the information for the subscription orderand the instructions for lottery ticket numbers; collecting funds forpaying for one or more tickets to be purchased from the state lotteryoperator based on the subscription order; and using the storedsubscription information to submit to the state lottery computer systeminformation to purchase one or more lottery tickets for less than theplurality of the subscription drawings included in the subscriptionorder.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the submission to the statelottery online system includes only that information required by thestate lottery operator to sell tickets to the player for the nextsubscription drawing included in the subscription order.
 3. A method forproviding subscription services for a lottery operated by a statelottery operator, the method comprising: receiving a subscriptionapplication from a lottery player, wherein the subscription applicationincludes player information and information for a subscription order topurchase at least one lottery ticket for at least one game selectionover a plurality of subscription drawings, unless sooner terminated;receiving instructions for lottery ticket numbers for the subscriptionorder; storing on a subscription computer system subscriptioninformation including the information from the subscription application,the information for the subscription order and the instructions forlottery ticket numbers; and collecting funds for paying for one or moretickets to be purchased from the state lottery operator based on thesubscription order; wherein the subscription application includes apaper transmittal form and wherein the lottery player submits the papertransmittal form with one or more game play slips identifying one ormore lottery tickets to be purchased by the lottery player.
 4. Themethod of claim 3 wherein the transmittal form is submitted by mailservice.
 5. The method of claim 3 wherein the transmittal from issubmitted to a retailer of lottery tickets.
 6. The method of claim 3wherein the transmittal form is scanned into a lottery terminal locatedat a lottery ticket retail location.
 7. A method for providingsubscription services for a lottery operated by a state lotteryoperator, the method comprising: receiving a subscription applicationfrom a lottery player, wherein the subscription application includesplayer information and information for a subscription order to purchaseat least one lottery ticket for at least one game selection over aplurality of subscription drawings, unless sooner terminated; receivinginstructions for lottery ticket numbers for the subscription order;storing on a subscription computer system subscription informationincluding the information from the subscription application, theinformation for the subscription order and the instructions for lotteryticket numbers; collecting funds for paying for one or more tickets tobe purchased from the state lottery operator based on the subscriptionorder; and charging the lottery player one or more fees for servicesassociated with the subscription application.
 8. A method for providingsubscription services for a lottery operated by a state lotteryoperator, the method comprising: receiving a subscription applicationfrom a lottery player, wherein the subscription application includesplayer information and information for a subscription order to purchaseat least one lottery ticket for at least one game selection over aplurality of subscription drawings, unless sooner terminated; receivinginstructions for lottery ticket numbers for the subscription order;storing on a subscription computer system subscription informationincluding the information from the subscription application, theinformation for the subscription order and the instructions for lotteryticket numbers; and collecting funds for paying for one or more ticketsto be purchased from the state lottery operator based on thesubscription order wherein the collected funds are in an amount lessthan the amount required to purchase all of the lottery tickets for theplurality of subscription drawings.
 9. The method of claim 8 whereinstep of collecting funds includes collecting periodic partial paymentsso that sufficient funds are available to pay the amount required by thestate lottery operator as the tickets are sold to the lottery player.10. A method for providing subscription services over a computer networkfor a lottery operated by a state lottery operator, the methodcomprising: receiving a subscription application from a lottery player,wherein the subscription application includes player information andinformation for a subscription order to purchase at least one lotteryticket for at least one game selection over a plurality of subscriptiondrawings, unless sooner terminated; receiving instructions for lotteryticket numbers for the subscription order; storing on a subscriptioncomputer system subscription information including the information fromthe subscription application, the information for the subscription orderand the instructions for lottery ticket numbers; and collecting fundsfor paying for one or more tickets to be purchased from the statelottery operator based on the subscription order; wherein thesubscription order information includes one or more selected jackpotlevels for one or more games and the purchase of additional ticketsunder the subscription order for a given game of the one or more gamesis conditioned upon reaching the selected game jackpot levels for thegiven game.
 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising defining inthe subscription computer system one or more pools of lottery playersfor the selected game and placing the lottery player into one or more ofthe pools for the selected game.
 12. The method of claim 10 furtherincluding the step of maintaining a reserve account for collecting fundsfor paying for one or more tickets to be purchased from the statelottery operator based on the conditional subscription order.
 13. Themethod of claim 12 wherein the reserve account is automaticallyreplenished when the reserve account falls to or below a predefinedminimum level.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the reserve account isautomatically replenished by a predefined amount.
 15. The method ofclaim 13 wherein the reserve account is automatically replenished to apredefined level.
 16. The method of claim 13 wherein the reserve accountis automatically replenished by an automated payment method.
 17. Amethod for providing subscription services for a lottery operated by astate lottery operator using a computer network, the method comprising:receiving a subscription application from a lottery player, wherein thesubscription application includes player information and information fora subscription order for purchasing at least one lottery ticket for atleast one game selection over a plurality of subscription drawings;receiving instructions for number selections for the subscription order;storing on a computer system the information from the subscriptionapplication, the information for the subscription order and theinstructions for number selections; and collecting funds for paying forone or more tickets to be purchased from the state lottery operatorbased on the subscription order, including: maintaining funds in areserve account for the lottery player; and charging the reserve accountto pay for the one or more tickets.
 18. The method of claim 17 whereinthe reserve account is automatically replenished when the reserveaccount falls to or below a predefined minimum level.
 19. The method ofclaim 18 wherein the reserve account is automatically replenished by adefined amount.
 20. The method of claim 18 wherein the reserve accountis automatically replenished to a defined level.
 21. The method of claim18 wherein the reserve account is automatically replenished by anautomated payment method.
 22. A method for providing subscriptionservices for a lottery operated by a state lottery operator, the methodcomprising: receiving a subscription application from a lottery player,wherein the subscription application includes player information andinformation for a subscription order to purchase at least one lotteryticket for at least one game selection over a plurality of subscriptiondrawings, unless sooner terminated; receiving instructions for lotteryticket numbers for the subscription order; storing on a subscriptioncomputer system subscription information including the information fromthe subscription application, the information for the subscription orderand the instructions for lottery ticket numbers; collecting funds forpaying for one or more tickets to be purchased from the state lotteryoperator based on the subscription order; and defining in thesubscription computer system one or more pools of lottery players andplacing the lottery player into one or more of the defined pools. 23.The method of claim 22 wherein the subscription order informationincludes one or more selected jackpot levels for one or more games andthe purchase of additional pooling tickets under the subscription orderfor a given game of the one or more games is conditioned upon reachingthe selected game jackpot level for the given game.
 24. The method ofclaim 22 wherein defining the one or more pools of lottery playersincludes setting a pool size for the one or more pools by providing aset number of players permitted to participate in each of the one ormore pools
 25. The method of claim 22 wherein defining the one or morepools of lottery players includes setting a pool size range for the oneor more pools by providing a range of the number of players permitted toparticipate in each of the one or more pools.
 26. The method of claim 22further including the step of maintaining a reserve account forcollecting funds for paying for one or more tickets to be purchased fromthe state lottery operator based on the conditional subscription order.27. The method of claim 22 wherein the reserve account is automaticallyreplenished when the reserve account falls to or below a predefinedminimum level.
 28. The method of claim 27 wherein the reserve account isautomatically replenished by a predefined amount.
 29. The method ofclaim 27 wherein the reserve account is automatically replenished to apredefined level.
 30. The method of claim 27 wherein the reserve accountis automatically replenished by an automated payment method.
 31. Amethod for providing subscription services for a lottery operated by astate lottery operator, the method comprising: receiving a subscriptionapplication from a lottery player, wherein the subscription applicationincludes player information and information for a subscription order topurchase at least one lottery ticket for at least one game selectionover a plurality of subscription drawings, unless sooner terminated;receiving instructions for lottery ticket numbers for the subscriptionorder; storing on a subscription computer system subscriptioninformation including the information from the subscription application,the information for the subscription order and the instructions forlottery ticket numbers; collecting funds for paying for one or moretickets to be purchased from the state lottery operator based on thesubscription order; and requiring the lottery player to agree toprocedures to be used in the event that the lottery operator makeschanges to the lottery game before all of the plurality of subscriptiondrawings are completed.
 32. A method for providing subscription servicesfor a lottery operated by a state lottery operator, the methodcomprising: receiving a subscription application from a lottery player,wherein the subscription application includes player information andinformation for a subscription order to purchase at least one lotteryticket for at least one game selection over a plurality of subscriptiondrawings, unless sooner terminated; receiving instructions for lotteryticket numbers for the subscription order; storing on a subscriptioncomputer system subscription information including the information fromthe subscription application, the information for the subscription orderand the instructions for lottery ticket numbers; collecting funds forpaying for one or more tickets to be purchased from the state lotteryoperator based on the subscription order; and posting the lottery ticketnumbers and highlighting each of the lottery ticket numbers that matchthe numbers drawn by the state lottery operator whether or not thelottery ticket numbers are included in winning number combinations. 33.A method for providing subscription services for a lottery operated by astate lottery operator, the method comprising: receiving a subscriptionapplication from a lottery player, wherein the subscription applicationincludes player information and information for a subscription order topurchase at least one lottery ticket for at least one game selectionover a plurality of subscription drawings, unless sooner terminated;receiving instructions for lottery ticket numbers for the subscriptionorder; storing on a subscription computer system subscriptioninformation including the information from the subscription application,the information for the subscription order and the instructions forlottery ticket numbers; collecting funds for paying for one or moretickets to be purchased from the state lottery operator based on thesubscription order; and paying winnings to the lottery player when thelottery player's unpaid winnings are at or above a predefined level. 34.The method of claim 33 wherein paying winnings to the lottery playerincludes crediting the lottery player's reserve account.
 35. The methodof claim 33 wherein paying winning to the lottery player includes payingthe lottery player when total unpaid winnings are at or above predefinedlevel.
 36. The method of claim 33 wherein paying winnings to the lotteryplayer includes paying the lottery player when a prize for a winninglottery ticket is at or above a predefined level.
 37. A method forproviding subscription services for a lottery operated by a statelottery operator, the method comprising: receiving a subscriptionapplication from a lottery player, wherein the subscription applicationincludes player information and information for a subscription order topurchase at least one lottery ticket for at least one game selectionover a plurality of subscription drawings, unless sooner terminated;receiving instructions for lottery ticket numbers for the subscriptionorder; storing on a subscription computer system subscriptioninformation including the information from the subscription application,the information for the subscription order and the instructions forlottery ticket numbers; collecting funds for paying for one or moretickets to be purchased from the state lottery operator based on thesubscription order; and collecting funds for paying for the one or moretickets to be purchased from the state lottery operator based on thesubscription order includes collecting funds using an automated paymentmethod.
 38. The method of claim 37 wherein the automated payment methodincludes making one or more charges to the lottery player's one or morecredit card accounts and the total amount collected by charges to thelottery player's one or more card accounts is restricted to a limit setby the state lottery operator.
 39. The method of claim 1 wherein thesubscription application is for an open-ended subscription.
 40. A systemfor providing subscription services for a lottery operated by a statelottery operator using a computer system, the system comprising: acomputer system programmed to: receive a subscription application from alottery player, wherein the subscription application includes playerinformation and information for a subscription order to purchase atleast one lottery ticket for at least one game selection over aplurality of subscription drawings, unless sooner terminated; receiveinstructions for lottery ticket numbers for the subscription order;store subscription information including the information from thesubscription application, the information for the subscription order andthe instructions for lottery ticket numbers; collect funds for payingfor one or more tickets to be purchased from the state lottery operatorbased on the subscription order; and use the stored subscriptioninformation to submit to the state lottery computer system informationto purchase one or more lottery tickets for less than the plurality ofthe subscription drawings included in the subscription order.